Nigel Farage hits back at Ukip racist jibes

Nigel Farage hits back at Ukip racist jibes

Nigel Farage says that the Conservatives are panicking over his party's rapid rise in the polls

All we are doing is talking the truth. There is nothing in Ukip that is racist in any way at all.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage

He hit back after Cabinet minister Ken Clarke branded Ukip “clowns” and accused their supporters of hating foreigners.

The war of words comes ahead of Thursday’s local elections when Ukip are tipped to attract fed-up Tory and Labour voters.

Mr Farage said the smear by Mr Clarke was personal and proved rival parties were worried.

He said: “They have lost the argument so Ken Clarke and others have decided that rather than going for the ball, they are going to attack the player.

“They know the public are UKIP leader Nigel Farage genuinely concerned about opening up the door to Bulgaria and Romania next year.

“These are tough subjects to talk about. All we are doing is talking the truth. There is nothing in Ukip that is racist in any way at all.”

Party officials have been forced to probe some of their 1,700 candidates standing on Thursday amid allegations of racist, homophobic and anti-semitic comments on social media sites.

Mr Farage said some had said “silly” things on Facebook.

Mayor of London Johnson urged the Tories not to panic yesterday over Ukip’s surging popularity.

He said: “Rather than bashing Ukip, I reckon Tories should be comforted by their rise – because the real story is surely that these voters are not turning to the one party that is meant to be providing the official opposition.

“The rise of Farage and Ukip tells us some interesting and important things about what the electorate wants, and it is by no means bad news for the Conservatives.”